First Battle of Aralan City
The First Battle of Aralan City was a conflict that raged during the year 1227, marking the start of Corvus Xisor's coup d'etat. After Julius's return to the throne, Corvus was left powerless. He and his 9th Legion began massacring the people of Aralan City, murdering 21 Senators in the Palace itself. Forces of Julius's allied Sturgeon Orcs and Date samurai clashed with the 9th Legion, destroying much of the city. Account Prelude On the 4th of Mithinras, 1227, Julius Krieg was discovered and his memory was restored. He travels to the Sturgeon lands in an attempt to prepare his return to Kreedia. In Aralan city, Lord Regent Corvus Xisor becomes increasingly paranoid of Julius, struggling to maintain control of the masses who begin to suspect foul play by the Regent. The local Senate of Aralan secretly begins to assist the now outlawed True Knights in their search for Julius and plans for his return. Corvus discovers some, and arrests some senators. Senator Papirus remains in Sturgea to assist the Emperor however. Corvus’s increasing paranoia means many of the colonies of the Empire have begun to ignore his commands and become increasingly independent. Corvus hears that Julius is being held in Sturgea, and so sends a company of 9th Legionaries to kill him. The Legionaries are killed, but the Royalists are alerted to the Lord Regent’s plans. With Julius’s eventual return, he is escorted to Aralan by a Sturgeon fleet and marches through the streets of the city to the cheers of the public. When he strides into the Senate chamber to see Corvus and the senators all holding court, the Senators stand in respect. Corvus dismisses Julius as a fake and demands a court wizard to test Julius for illusionary magics, a test that proves Julius’s legitimacy. Corvus reluctantly gives up his throne, and Julius goes to talk with his ecstatic senators about the state of the Empire. Corvus however is not happy with the return of the young Emperor. Discussing with his officers, Corvus concludes the Regency must continue and they decide to rebel within the city. The conflict begins. Conflict Corvus’s 9th Legion and mercenary allies secure the streets under the watch of Sanorhi Shahal, blocking the gates. In the river Aralanni, the Sturgeon “Big fish” vessel under the command of the Orc Big Jim prepares its cannon. Julius is within the palace rooms of Aralan, protected by his true knights and speaking with the Date Samurai and the Sturgeon Warlord Vilrog. With the streets secure, Corvus marches into the Senatorial hall. The senators suspect Corvus’s intentions, but are not able to flee quick enough, and so most of them are slaughtered in the hall by Corvus himself and his guard. In the streets, the Sturgeon soldiers begin to suspect what is going on, and so begin to fight the 9th Legionaries. The streets are filled with anarchy as local guard forces join with the Sturgeon to push off the 9th Legion. Big Jim fires the Sturgeon cannon, crushing a section of the wall and causing it to collapse on a unit of 30 properly formed 9th Legionaries. Jim prepares the cannon for a second shot. Chaos continues to erupt, with the 9th resorting to blocking streets with shield walls to stop the anarchy. Big Jim fires once more, smashing into an Imperial mage tower which soon collapses on a crowd of citizens and soldiers alike. Julius, the Date and Vilrog rush out to meet Corvus. The Regent challenges the young Emperor to a duel, and the two fight for a while. It becomes clear however that Corvus’s experience and ability makes him a superior fighter, despite Julius’s ferocity and bravery. Both cause injuries to the other, but the Date and Vilrog worry that Julius’s sudden death will lead to further anarchy. Deciding Julius’s defeat is inevitable, the three samurai and orc warlord intervene and try to kill Corvus. Corvus is able to block most of the attacks but is seriously wounded, seeing the attack as dishonourable and a betrayal. Calling Julius a coward, Corvus retreats into the streets, where his men are beginning to be outnumbered. Sanorhi Shahal flees the city, leaving his men to die. Mounting with his cavalry, Corvus orders that his footsoldiers abandon their uniforms and flee so they may live another day. Riding out of the city, many of the 9th Legion follow Corvus, but are captured by Royalist forces. Corvus flees into the hills with what remains of the 9th, but as he leaves the city, Big Jim fires his cannon once more. The shot completely misses Corvus and his men. Aftermath Aralan city is left in complete ruin, but it heralded to the world the return of Julius Krieg. In the later months, the damage of Corvus will be repaired by Julius, who restores the unity of the Empire’s colonies and brings back order throughout the Empire. Corvus goes missing, with some reports saying he has been sighted North and others to the mountains of Akaveli. With the massacre of the local senate, other senators are chosen, mostly from the victors of the battle. Aralan city is badly damaged but is soon repaired. Julius returns to Asimium, and leaves a council to rule Genesis, consisting of General Artorius Song, High Admiral Flint Taylor and Senator Papirus. The True Knights are restored, but the 9th Legion remain in rebellion. Those still loyal to Corvus are imprisoned but the surviving mercenaries are mostly released. Although Aralan enjoyed relative peace after the conflict, chaos would soon erupt again as matters in the North of Genesis demanded more of the colony.